Overhead-carrier track-line.



A. OPSAL.

OVERHEAD CARRIER TRACK LINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26.1915.

1,206,581. I Patented N0v. 28, 1916.

f mmvron A. OPSAL.

OVERHEAD CARRIER TRACK LINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE ZE, 1915.

1 06,558 1. Patented N 0v. 28, 1916.

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A. OPSAL.

OVERHEAD CARRIER TRACK LINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, I915.

1,206,581 Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

' INVENTOR .4. UPBaZ,

A TTOR/VEYS pnrrnn STATES PATENT onnron.

ANDREW OIPSAL, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO SOPHY OPSAL, 0F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

OVERHEAD-CARRIER TRACK-LINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916;.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW OPSAL, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overhead-Carrier Track-Lines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an overhead track line of that class wherein the load carriage travels on a wire rope track at a suflicient height above the ground to clear unnatural obstacles, and the invention comprises the manner of suspension of the track rope from the underside of the wire cross ropes by which it is supported, which cross ropes are stretched between convenient trees or between erected poles, suitably stayed where trees are not available.

In the usual construction, the track rope is either directly suspended from trees or from the upper ends of inclined posts, or rests upon the upper side of transverse cross ropes stretched between trees as in the case of this application. Where the track rope is suspended directly from trees or posts difliculty is experienced in obtain ing the required lateral clearance for the carrier and'its load, and where it rests upon the upper side of transverse cross ropes the carriage requires to be specially constructed to enable it to pass these ropes. v,

In the invention, which is the subject of this application, the track rope is suspended from the cross ropes and provision is made whereby the suspension attachment is endwise adiustable on the cross ropes.

The invention also comprises a special construction of track rope connection to the suspending means obviating undue wear of the track rope as the sag of the rope appreaches and leaves the place of attachment to the cross ropes: and where an additional track rope is provided for the return-empty load carriers. the suspension has provision enabling it to hang vertically from the attachment to its crossrope, which rope may be angled considerably by the imposition of a load on the main track rope adiacent.

As it may frequentlv happen that suitable trees are not available from which to suspend the track sustaining cross ropes that the crossro es may be normal to'the track line, in which case the hook member which suspends the track rope from the sus taining cross rope, is swivel-mounted on the cross rope attachment that the track rope attachment may aline itself to the track rope irrespective of the angle of the cross rope.

The invention is particularly described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective the attachment of the main and return-empty track ropes to a cross rope. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the hook connection between the cross rope and track rope. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same on the line a-a in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an end elevation showing a modification of the hook connection adapting it for the return-empty track rope. Fig. 5 is a section of the track rope attaching member on the line 6-4) in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan showing the application of the swivel mounted track rope sustaining attachment, and Fig. 7, an enlarged detail showing the manner of swiveling the track rope sustaining member to the cross rope attachment.

In these drawings 2 represents the cross ropes beneath which the track rope 3 is supported, which cross ropes are stretched between convenient trees or, erected posts. Each cross rope is preferably coiled round a tree on each side and the end is anchored, as at 4, to a convenient stump or tothe bottom of an adjacent tree.

The overhead main trackrope 3 is suspended from the underside of the cross ropes 2 by a hook member, theupper end of which has an elongated eye 6 offering an ample bearing on the cross rope and is secured in any desired endwise position on the rope by a tapered cotter 7.

The lower part 8 of the hook member turns under the midlength of the eye 6 and has an upwardly directed jaw in which is pivotally mounted on a pin 9 the track rope attachment 10. This attachment is preferably made in two parts that may be bolted together to secure the rope between them. The middle portion 11, where the two halves encircle the rope, is straight, and from this straight middle portion each end curves away and is grooved for the rope to rest in but does not encircle it, and the extreme ends are rounded.

So connected the track rope attachment 10 is free to turn on its pin to accommodate the sag of the track rope as a loaded carriage approaches or leaves the supporting cross rope, and the curvature of the upturned end prevents a sharp bend being 1mposed on the rope on the side opposlte the sa The manner of attachment of the hook members 6 8 to the cross ropes 2 enables the hook members to be adjusted endwise on the ropes to rectify the alinement of the line before they are tightened on the cross ropes by the cotters 7.

The track rope 13 for the return-empty carriers is suspended in a similar manner from the same cross ropes 2 but as the load imposed on this track is relatively lighter than what the main track rope 3 carries, the lower or hook portion 8 is pin-connected at 15 to a aw downwardly projecting from the eye portion 6. This enables the'rope supporting hook to hang vertically when the cross rope 2 to which it is attached is sagged by the proximity of a load carriage on the main track rope.

Where the cross ropes cannot be located between trees to be normal to the line of the track as shown in Fig. 6, the track rope supporting portion 8 may be connected to the cross rope eye member 6 on a swivel pin 16 downwardly projecting from the middle of the eye member 6, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing. The track rope support 10 is thus free to aline itself to the track rope irrespective of the angle of the cross rope in relation thereto. By this manner of suspending an overhead track rope beneath its supporting cross ropes, an aerial line for logging purposes can be carried into the woods with a minimum of construction work, and the line so supported is stronger and less expensive, than where directly suspended from trees or posts. Greater freedom is also aiforded in the alinement of the track line and more room provided laterally for passage of the load.

I am aware that prior to my invention track ropes have been suspended from the connection to their supporting trees or posts by hook members similar to what is here set forth, but am not aware of any case in which a track rope has been suspended from its supporting cross ropes, in a manner to enable the load carrier to travel on the upper side of the track rope.

The manner of adjustably securing the track rope supporting hooks on the cross ropes, facilitates construction considerably as the general line of the track can be located, the cross ropes secured in position, each with its track supporting hooks, and the alinement of the track can thereafter be corrected and the suspension hooks secured in position.

The pivotal connection of the hook portion 8 to the eye portion 6 is also an advantageous feature where there is a returnempty track rope as it enables the'same cross ropes to be used for both tracks.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Let ters Patent, is:

1. In an overhead wire rope track, means for suspending the track rope beneath the cross ropes by which it is supported, said means comprising suspending hangers having eyes through which the cross ropes pass and wedge keys located in said eyes for adjustably securing the hangers to the cross ropes.

2. In an overhead wire rope track, the combination with supporting cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of the track line, track rope suspending hooks endwise adjustable on the cross ropes, and a track rope beneath the cross ropes and connected to the suspending hooks, said suspending hooks including eyes through which the cross ropes pass and wedge devices for securing said hooks to the cross ropes.

3. In an overhead wire rope track, the combination with cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of the track line, means for suspending the track rope beneath each cross rope, said means comprising a member-having an eye portion which is endwise movable on the cross rope and a portion downwardly projecting from one end of the eye and inwardly turned horizontally under it, means i for securing the suspension member on the cross rope, and means for connecting the track rope to the upper side of the horizontallly disposed portion of the suspending means.

4L. In an overhead wire rope track comprising the combination with the cross ropes and the track rope, of means for suspending the track rope beneath the cross ropes, said means 7 comprising suspending hooks to which the track rope is secured, said hooks having eyes through which the cross ropes pass, and means cotiperative with said eyes for clamping the said hooks at any desired position along the cross ropes. V

5. In an overhead wire rope track, the combination with cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of thetrack line, means for suspending the track rope beneath each cross rope, said means comprising a member having an eye portion which is endwise movable on the cross rope and a portion downwardly projecting from one end of the eye and inwardly turned horizontally under it, said horizontally turned portion having an upwardly projecting jaw, means for securing the suspension member on the cross rope, a

track rope connecting member pivotally mounted in the jaw of the suspension member the upper edge of which track rope connection is convex and grooved to receive the track rope, and means for attaching the track rope adjacent the middle of the pivotally mounted members.

6. In an overhead wire rope track, the combination with cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of the track line, means for suspending the track rope beneath each cross rope, said means comprising a member having an eye portion which is endwise adjustable lengthwise on the cross rope and a portion downwardly projecting from one end of the eye and horizontally turned under it, said horizontally turned portion having an upwardly projecting jaw, a track rope connecting member pivotally mounted in the jaw of the suspension member, said pivot ally mounted member formed in two parts lengthwise jointed together the upper edges of each being convexly curved and grooved to fit the rope, the middle portion encircling the rope to secure it in the groove, and a track rope secured between the grooves of the pivotally mounted member.

7. In' an overhead wire rope track, the combination with cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of the track line, means for suspending a track rope beneath each cross rope, said means comprising a member having an eye portion which is endwise adjustable lengthwise on the cross rope and having lugs downwardly projecting from one end, a member pivotally mounted between the jaws of the eye member and L-shaped to project horizontally beneath the middle of the eye portion, and means for connecting the track rope to the upper side of the horizontally disposed portion.

8. In an overhead wire rope track, the combination with cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of the track line means for suspending a track rope beneath each cross rope, said means comprising an eye member endwise adjustable on the cross rope, and means for securing said eye member to the cross rope against movement at any desired location, and a track rope supporting member connected by a swivel to the eye member.

9. In an overhead wire rope track, the combination with cross ropes extending between suitable upright supports on each side of the track line, means for suspending a track rope beneath each cross rope, said means comprising an eye member endwise securable on the cross rope, said eye member having a swivel pin downwardly projecting from the middle of it, and a track rope supporting member mounted to swivel on the pin.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signatu re.

ANDREW OPSAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 13. G. 

